These were the potters who lived at Netaim and Gederah. They lived there in the service of the king. Sermons
I. HANDICRAFTSMEN AND HUSBANDMEN MAKE USE OF MATERIALS WHICH A KIND PROVIDENCE HAS SUPPLIED. The soil which is tilled, the vegetable substances which that soil produces, the minerals which are dug from it, are all of God. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." II. THE FACULTIES OF BODY AND MIND WHICH SUCH PERSONS EXERCISE AND EMPLOY ARE ENTRUSTED BY THE CREATOR. The limbs of the body, the strength of the muscles, the skill of the intelligent and designing mind, are all needed for the production of the results. Every artificer is himself a miracle of creative power and wisdom; and he who framed the workman is glorified in the handiwork. III. THE WELFARE OF CIVILIZED HUMAN SOCIETY, WHICH IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF SUCH LABOURS, IS A PART OF THE DIVINE PLAN. The arts, useful and aesthetic, tend to the comfort and the development of humanity. All the conveniences of human life are instrumental in furthering the purposes of God. IV. AMONG SUCH ARTIFICERS RELIGION OFTEN FINDS WARM ADHERENTS, SUPPORTERS, AND PROMULGATORS. The busy and useful classes of society furnish the largest proportion of strength to our Churches. These have often been the salt of society, when the wealthy, luxurious, and dissolute on the one hand, and the idle and predatory on the other, would have introduced corruption and death into the body politic. - T.
There they dwelt with the king for his work. (A motto for Sunday school teachers.) Work done well, however common, is accounted worthy of its wage, but work done for royalty generally has some special attraction to commend it. Such a man is privileged by appointment to be purveyor of this or that to her Majesty the Queen; and he takes good care to let us know it. It is published in his shop window. It is painted on his sign over the door. He is, "By appointment to the Queen." Royalty seems to dignify him. Looking at my text I see three or four observations springing from it.I. OUR KING HAS MANY KINDS OF SERVANTS. 1. Soldiers. It is their duty to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. 2. Watchmen. 3. Heralds. 4. Scribes. 5. Musicians. 6. Potters.These may supply a very good emblem of Sunday school teachers. The potters take the clay while it is pliable and soft, and put it on the wheel and make the wheel revolve, and then with thumb and finger fashion the clay as it revolves before them. If ever at any time the human mind is plastic it is while the child is young. 7. Gardeners.This is just what a Sunday school teacher should be. He tries to get the plants out from the wild waste and bring them into the "garden walled around." He knows that the Church is the garden of the Lord and he longs to plant many little slips in it. II. ALL WHO LIVE WITH OUR KING MUST WORK. I have thought that some of our Church members imagined that the cause of Christ was a coach, and that they were to ride on it, and that they would prefer the box-seat, or else a very comfortable seat in the middle of the coach. But all who live with our King must work. 1. Because He works. 2. Because His company always inspires us with the desire to do something for Him. 3. Because there is so much to do that you cannot help doing something. III. THOSE THAT WORK FOR OUR KING OUGHT TO LIVE WITH HIM. 1. That they may gather strength. In the old fable, when Hercules fought with the giant he could not kill him. He flung him down with all his might, but every time the giant got up stronger than before. The old fable said that the earth was the giant's mother, and every time that he fell he touched her and got new strength from her. So every time a Christian falls on his knees — draws near to God — he gets new strength. 2. To keep up their enthusiasm. 3. That they may be inspired with courage. 4. If they would cultivate the soft grace of patience. IV. THAT WHICH SHOULD RECONCILE US TO ANY WORK IS, THAT WE ARE WORKING FOR THE KING. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) I. THAT NONE ARE IGNORED, DESPISED, OR FORGOTTEN IN THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD OF OUR KING BECAUSE OF THE APPARENT INSIGNIFICANCE OF THE POSITION THEY FILL. The work of the Church analagous to that of the potters and hedgers is not in favour. Only a few are willing to do the humble and necessary work of the Church. II. THAT THE RECOGNITION OF THE VALUE OF LABOUR OF THE HUMBLE WORKERS IS JUST AS SURE, AND REWARD JUST AS CERTAIN, AS OF THAT WHICH IS MOST PROMINENT. In the service of the King of kings there is no respecting of persons. It is not the position but the work accomplished that obtains consideration from Him. The name of Luther, or even of Paul, is of no account before Him, nor the office of reformer or apostle, only as meaning mighty labour accomplished in and for the Church. The Hudson may be of far more importance to the country because of its deeper channel, broader bosom, than a little brook that meanders through the meadows of some country valley. One is a broad highway, bearing much of the commerce of great States; the other gives grass to the meadows, drink to cattle, and beauty to the landscape; but surely the Hudson is entitled to no more praise for being what it is than the brook for being what it is. No occupation that is right, however mean, can debar us from dwelling with our Lord. We see constantly earthern pots, of very little value in themselves, crowned with the sweetest, the most beautiful, the rarest flowers and plants. Cheap as the red clay is, it is about the only material that could be used. One great value is its cheapness; another is, that plants, with a singular want of taste, would refuse to flourish in pots of silver or gold; their very density and want of porosity render them nearly valueless for this purpose. Just so the very humbleness of work renders some peculiarly fitted to do it. Conclusion: 1. Here we have encouragement for all the Lord's workers, in (1) (2) (3) 2. Here we may find reason for warm sympathy with all the workers of our King. (Henry W. F. Jones.) II. KINGS NEED DIFFERENT KINDS OF WORKERS. There is a sense in which God needs us and cannot carry out His plans without us. Whatever your talent there is room for you. Not only genius, but dogged drudgery. We want the artist to paint the picture, and the workman to frame it; the author to write the book, and the printer to give it to the world. How true it is that no one man can do all that needs to be done, even with his own gifts. Does the gardener wish to send in a choice rose he has just cut? Does he wish his rose to stand on the king's table? Then he must have the help of the potter. He must have one of his vases. (Thomas Champness.) People Adiel, Aharhel, Ahumai, Ahuzam, Allon, Amalek, Amalekites, Amaziah, Amnon, Anub, Asaiah, Asareel, Ashur, Asiel, Ben, Benaiah, Benhanan, Benzoheth, Bethrapha, Bethuel, Bilhah, Bithiah, Caleb, Carmi, Chelub, Coz, David, Elah, Elioenai, Epher, Ephratah, Ephrath, Er, Eshtemoa, Eshton, Ethnan, Ezer, Ezra, Garmite, Gedor, Haahashtari, Hakkoz, Ham, Hamites, Hamuel, Hanan, Harum, Hathath, Hazelelponi, Heber, Helah, Hepher, Hezekiah, Hezron, Hodiah, Hodijah, Hur, Idbash, Iru, Ishbah, Ishi, Ishma, Izhar, Jaakobah, Jabez, Jahath, Jalon, Jamin, Jamlech, Jarib, Jedaiah, Jehaleleel, Jehu, Jekuthiel, Jephunneh, Jered, Jeshohaiah, Jesimiel, Jether, Jezoar, Jezreel, Joab, Joash, Joel, Jokim, Joshah, Josibiah, Kenaz, Koz, Laadah, Lahad, Mehir, Meonothai, Mered, Meshobab, Meunim, Meunites, Mibsam, Miriam, Mishma, Naam, Naarah, Naham, Nahash, Neariah, Nemuel, Ophrah, Othniel, Paseah, Pelatiah, Penuel, Perez, Pharaoh, Pharez, Rapha, Reaiah, Rechah, Rephaiah, Rinnah, Saraph, Saul, Seir, Seraiah, Shallum, Shammai, Shaul, Shelah, Shemaiah, Shimei, Shimon, Shimri, Shiphi, Shobal, Shuah, Shual, Simeon, Simeonites, Tehinnah, Temeni, Tilon, Tiria, Uzziel, Zacchur, Zaccur, Zerah, Zereth, Ziphah, Ziza, Zobebah, Zohar, Zoheth, Zorathites, ZoreathitesPlaces Ain, Ashan, Baal, Beersheba, Beth-biri, Beth-marcaboth, Bethuel, Bilhah, Cozeba, Etam, Ezem, Gederah, Gedor, Hazar-shual, Hazar-susim, Hormah, Jerusalem, Lehem, Moab, Moladah, Mount Seir, Netaim, Recah, Rimmon, Shaaraim, Tochen, Tolad, ZiklagTopics Abode, Dwelt, Enclosures, Fields, Gedera, Gederah, Gede'rah, Hedges, Inhabitants, King's, Netaim, Neta'im, Occupied, Plantations, Planted, Plants, Potters, Round, Stayed, Walls, WorkedOutline 1. The posterity of Judah by Caleb, the son of Hur.5. Of Ashur, the posthumous son Hezron. 9. Of Jabez, and his prayer. 11. The other families of the same stock. 21. The sons of Shelah. 24. The posterity and cities of Simeon. 39. Their conquest of Gedor, and of the Amalekites in mount Seir. Dictionary of Bible Themes 1 Chronicles 4:23 5272 craftsmen Library The Ark among the Flags'And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. 2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 4. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5. And the daughter of Pharaoh came … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Chronicles Links 1 Chronicles 4:23 NIV1 Chronicles 4:23 NLT 1 Chronicles 4:23 ESV 1 Chronicles 4:23 NASB 1 Chronicles 4:23 KJV 1 Chronicles 4:23 Bible Apps 1 Chronicles 4:23 Parallel 1 Chronicles 4:23 Biblia Paralela 1 Chronicles 4:23 Chinese Bible 1 Chronicles 4:23 French Bible 1 Chronicles 4:23 German Bible 1 Chronicles 4:23 Commentaries Bible Hub |